54 



Fishery Bulletin 93(1), 1995 



In summary, although environmental conditions 

 as severe as those tested are uncommon on the fish- 

 ing grounds during fishing operations (except in the 

 central and northern Bering Sea), low-temperature 

 aerial exposure during fishing operations can ad- 

 versely affect incidentally captured crabs. Exposure 

 to cold air reduced crab vigor and feeding rates, 

 caused limb autotomy, and killed the crabs in severe 

 situations. Progeny died if exposure to cold air killed 

 females brooding them, otherwise larvae were not 

 measurably affected. Prompt return of incidentally 

 caught Tanner crabs to the sea, especially during ex- 

 tremely cold weather, should reduce adverse effects 

 of exposure to cold air. 



'I""" 1 "! 

 -30 -20 -10 -30 -20 -10 



Temperature (Celcius) Temperature (Celcius) 



Figure 1 



Predicted time in minutes required to cause death or impair righting 

 of juvenile and ovigerous female Chionoeeetes bairdi following expo- 

 sure to cold air. Mortality predictions are based on cumulative mor- 

 tality through day 16; no deaths were observed in the ensuing 16 

 days. Righting predictions are based on responses immediately after 

 exposure; there was a tendancy for righting times to improve after 

 exposure, but improvements were generally not statistically significant. 



Acknowledgments 



We thank Tyrus Brouillette for his technical assistance 

 during this experiment and the reviewers who im- 

 proved this manuscript with their helpful suggestions. 



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